The Audio Perv

By Emilia D’Albero

In a world where the quality of indie rock ebbs and flows constantly, it’s comforting to know that there are bands out there that are consistently being awesome. White Rabbits, hailing from Brooklyn, is one such group. And if there’s one thing that White Rabbits knows how to do well, it is definitely writing strong, catchy bass lines and pulsing percussion. In fact, their newest release, Milk Famous, is positively brimming with both of those things. From the very start of the title track and first single, “Heavy Metal,” to the last few seconds of the closing track, “I Had It Coming,” the band’s musical dexterity and confidence is evident. “Heavy Metal” itself is an eerie blend of memorable bass and a sort of mechanical percussion (including short bursts of what sounds like banging on trash cans); this track is simple enough to follow, but is also beautifully complex. The otherworldly sensation that comes with listening to “Heavy Metal” all the way through is not out of place on Milk Famous, however.

Every song on the entire album is a bit spooky; whether it’s the slightly dissonant yet aurally pleasing vocal harmonies in the chorus of “I’m Not Me” or the urgency of the piano riff in “Everyone Can’t Be Confused,” Milk Famous maintains an eerie, spectral quality, as if White Rabbits’ music contains some secret to life that only the band knows about and are holding just beyond our reach. Fortunately, it seems plausible to assume that listening to Milk Famous just might be the boost one needs in order to reach this alleged secret. Perhaps the smooth vocals that cover the high-pitched siren sounds in “Hold It to the Fire” hold the key to unlocking the secret, or maybe it is the fast-paced urgency of “The Day You Won the War,” or it may even be the haunting harmonies coupled with the strong bass backbone of “Temporary” (both of which ensure that the song will be anything but temporary in your brain). The final track, “I Had It Coming,” integrates a bit of acoustic guitar with a bit of piano and the aforementioned percussion, and the result is a track that practically bleeds a feeling of catharsis, as if it were the happy ending to the story told by the album.

Milk Famous is an album full of catchy guitar riffs, ethereal vocals, and simple yet elegant percussion that is poignant and strong enough to drive the album from opening to close. As a whole, Milk Famous will leave you thoroughly satisfied yet somewhat confused, wondering whether you should dance along or call Ghostbusters.

Buy Milk Famous on Amazon.